Modern civilization is heavily dependent on carbonaceous materials for producing energy. These carbonaceous materials include hydrocarbon based fuels used in combustion engines and coal and other fuels used in electrical power generation. Due to the recent increase in demand for fuel from emerging countries such as India and China, and the limited production of crude oil, there has been a substantial increase in the price of liquid fuel. In order to increase production of liquid fuel, low cost alternative means of production are needed to meet the ever increasing demand. Many countries have vast amount of available carbonaceous feedstock that can be used for electricity production and for the production of fuels (collectively referred to herein as energy production). One of the more common carbonaceous feedstock is coal, which is often used for power generation. However, the use of such feedstocks in conventional energy production techniques can adversely affect the environment.
One of the most abundant carbonaceous feedstocks found in the United States is coal. By some estimates, the amount of coal in the U.S. is projected to last between 250-300 years at current rates of consumption. The combustion of coal produces over half of the electricity generated in the U.S. When used for electricity generation, coal is usually pulverized and burned in a furnace with a boiler. The furnace heat converts the boiler water to steam, which is then used to spin turbines that turn generators to create electricity. Coal can also be converted to a gaseous fuel by a process commonly referred to as coal gasification. In coal gasification, molecules of coal are broken into smaller molecular weight molecules, usually by subjecting it to high temperature and pressure, using steam and measured amounts of oxygen. This process leads to the production of a gaseous fuel, referred to as synthetic gas or syngas. Syngas is a mixture mainly consisting of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) and may be used as a fuel. Coal can also be liquefied into liquid fuels (such as, gasoline, diesel, etc.) by several different well known processes such as, for example, the Fischer-Tropsch process, the Bergius process, the Karrick process, and others. In some of these processes, syngas or slurry is subjected to different conditions of temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalyst to produce different types of liquid fuels.
When coal is burned for electricity production, gasified to produce gaseous fuel, or liquefied to produce liquid fuel, it releases into the atmosphere green house gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful pollutants such as oxides of sulfur (SOx) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). As concerns of global warming intensify, there is increased pressure to reduce the amount of GHGs released into the atmosphere. One suggested method to reduce the GHGs released into the atmosphere is by sequestering the gaseous emissions in underground storage facilities. However, underground storage of CO2 and other emissions would increase costs and raise concerns about possible leakage from underground rock formations or possible contamination of water supplies.
The present disclosure is directed at improved methods and systems of producing energy and fuel while overcoming the shortcomings discussed above and/or other shortcomings in existing technology.